THERE’S SOMETHING a little wonderful about this exploration of alienation, secrecy, privacy and privation—though it’s probably not what the author had in mind when he wrote it. A National Guard engineer in the early 2000’s, six months before he was due to finish his service, Bronson Lemer was sent to Iraq under the protection and prohibitions of the “Don’t ask, don’t tell” (DADT) policy. Already disenchanted with military service, the 22-year-old left behind not only his country but also a year-long romance and his identity as an openly gay man.

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The Gay & Lesbian Review / Worldwide (The G&LR) is a bimonthly magazine targeting an educated readership of gay, lesbian, bisexual, and transgendered (GLBT) men and women. Under the tagline, “a bimonthly journal of history, culture, and politics,” The G&LR publishes essays in a wide range of disciplines as well as reviews of books, movies, and plays.